I am writing to tell my wedding story because it is a little unique then most brides. Like many brides when I first got engaged I ran out and bought a bunch of bridal magazines and watched bride day every Friday on TLC. I had big plans for my wedding! I knew that I wanted my own fairytale wedding where I felt like a princess for a day who got to marry her prince. I am telling my story because I know I am not the first or last bride to go through this on their big day. I even looked up online for stories to not feel like I just ruined the best day of my life but many brides who were in my situation just cancelled their day and moved it to a different date. I knew that was not an option because this was three years of planning and eight years in the making. So here is my story:

I met my husband nine years ago on a school trip to Europe. My high school did not have enough students so they invited another high school near by. We became good friends on this trip and after months of flirting on msn messenger and a school dance we finally went out on a date and the rest was history! We have been through a lot together and have supported each other throughout life.

In 2012 we took a big move up to North Bay for a year so I could get my Bachelor of Education. We moved back to Niagara in May of 2013. We had been dating for about 5 years at this point and every year we pick a night to go out for a fancy dinner and rent a relaxing hotel room. So after a year of hard work at school on June 6th we decided to have our annual date night. He took me to the Syndicate for dinner and then we went back to the hotel. When I got in the room there was a huge bouquet of roses and a card which I figured was just because I graduated Teacher’s College. He said I wasn’t allowed to open the card just yet and asked if I could run down to the hotel lobby and get some snacks because he forgot to pack some. So I headed down having no idea that he was getting ready to propose. When I came back up the door to the room was propped open and there was a heart on a string hanging on the door. As I got closer he heard me and yelled, “read each heart”. The first heart said, “Let’s go down memory lane over the last five years!” After that each heart had a special memory that we shared throughout our 5 years of being together like the first time we met, first kiss and special trip we took together. All the little things that made our relationship so special! The last heart read, “You make me the man I am today and I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you. Follow the string where the last heart is my heart and let’s start a new chapter in our lives together.” I followed the end around the corner and he was there on one knee. He said, “will you marry me?” My first response was, “Did you ask my dad?” (My dad had always requested if we find Mr. Right he had to ask for his permission) Nick with a confused look on his face said, “YES?” Then I ran over and said, “yes of course I will Marry you!” It was a fairy tale proposal to me! So personal and well thought out!

We decided that since we were only twenty-three at the time that we wanted to have a longer engagement and save up some money first. Three years of planning and making sure to book vendors in advance to make sure we got all the ones we needed. Watching countless Wedding T.V shows, living off of Pinterest and ordering things off of Etsy the 1 month mark before the wedding was finally here! I had no stress because everything was all planned out! Intact most of my planning had been done for months now and all we had to do was wait for the big day to arrive. So life was normal working two jobs and sometimes working opposite shifts the wedding began to slowly creep up on us! I was worried about not fitting into my dress and began working out faithfully. But little did I know two weeks before my wedding not fitting into my dress was the least of my concerns…..Every Wednesday night Nick, my sister and I play in a beer league for baseball. I have been playing baseball for the last 21 years so I know the game really well. On Wednesday May 18th, two and half weeks before our wedding I had just hit the ball and made it to first base. The next batter up cranked the ball in the outfield so I started to run to second. I looked in the field to see where the ball was and it was still way out there. Then the competitiveness in me came out and I decided to make a run to third. They threw the ball to third so I slid into the base and SNAP! I felt a quick pain in my foot and then it went limp. I couldn’t feel it and it began to swell instantly. They carried me to the bench to look at it and then the next trip was to the hospital. Nick carried me on his back all the way to the truck and my sister walked beside him. I began to panic and think of the wedding! I kept saying I ruined the wedding my foot is broken! My sister and Nick kept trying to calm me down. We get to the hospital and they gave us ice to keep the swelling down. I was taken for an x-ray and then a CAT SCAN because they couldn’t tell on the x-ray. Four hours later we were sitting near a bed and the nurses station and we could here the Doctor on the phone, “Yes it looks broken in three places.” I looked at Nick in a panic and he reassured me that a ton of people came in on crutches it could be anyone. We heard the doctor again, “Yes it looks like they may need surgery and I will make sure they come back in the morning.” I could feel my stomach turn and Nick gave me a reassuring look that said don’t jump to conclusions. Then we heard the doctor one last time, “Yes she is 26 and did it playing baseball.” I burst into tears and panic and Nick’s face went white, “we will figure it out don’t worry it will work out.”

After getting it looked at again by the bone specialist they said no surgery but slapped a hard cast on and said there may be chance that I can have a walking cast for the wedding. For two weeks I laid on the couch praying that my foot would magically heal so I could at least walk down the aisle and have my dance with my new husband and father. I went through stages of hating myself for sliding to feeling sorry for myself. I tried looking up stories online but all brides in my situation cancelled their wedding and moved it to a later date. I couldn’t do that this was three years of planning! So two days before the wedding I went back to the doctors to see how my foot was healing. A huge part of me knew no walking cast but a small piece of me hoped for one. The doctor said no that it was two risky. So right then and there I decided to just accept that my foot would be broken and instead of sulking it was time to embrace it. I wasn’t going to let this ruin my day! So I picked a blue cast and it became my something blue for the wedding! My whole out look changed because I wasn’t focused on all the extras I needed to be focused on Marrying my best friend because that’s what a wedding was all about! Now how was I going to get down the aisle?

Friday, the day before my wedding I got up and went for a manicure and half pedicure, they did paint my toes with the cast though which was nice! I then had all my bridesmaids over and we decorated my crutches to try and blend in with the dress. They turned out beautiful! My aunt bought me a knee scooter so I could get around easier. It was a perfect gift! Made me feel more independent. That night we went to the rehearsal and I was really nervous about balancing on my one foot for so long. The ceremony was in the Garden’s and my wonderful officiant came up with the idea that we sit down on this beautiful cast iron bench and face our guests. It was perfect and more personal. My husband and I loved the idea. Heading home that night we remembered we had to change our grand entrance into the reception. We originally had an up beat song but since I couldn’t dance in it wouldn’t really work. So we decided that since we are big Game of Thrones Fans that we would slowly come into the theme song for the show. Then I came up with this great idea! I would ride in on the scooter and we got a horse mask to attach to it so it was like I was riding in on a horse. Nick had a crown and shield he was going to wear and we both new this was going to be an epic entrance. I went to sleep that night knowing that no matter what tomorrow was going to be the best day of our lives and I was going to put my best foot forward to make sure that happened.rnSaturday June 4th, 2016 the Wedding day was finally here! I got up in the morning and felt great until I slipped on the lace around my crutch and banged my cast pretty good…. Two weeks and I fall on the day of my wedding. I get to my parents and rest it until it was my turn to get ready. Once I had my dress on, hair and makeup done I looked in the mirror and felt like a princess! I could feel the emotion of the day overcome me. I was wearing a cast but you couldn’t see it and the crutches matched the dress. It was all coming together!

I finally arrive at the ceremony site and they set me up behind the tree. My father approaches me and the emotions come out as I begin to cry because I am about to Marry my best friend finally after eight years. My father comments on how amazing I look and asked if I was ready to go. The music comes on and out came my bridesmaids down the aisle. Then my song came on and I began to crutch down the aisle. When I turned the corner and saw Nick’s reaction he was crying I knew that with even a broken foot I still looked beautiful to him. I made it all the way down the aisle and joined him on the bench. The ceremony was beautiful and with our vows we were able to add a little humour to me breaking the foot. The only funny blooper we had was after signing the papers and sitting back on the bench my crutches got tangled in my vail so my sister and Nick had to help me untangle it. Everyone was laughing it was pretty funny.

When we were getting photos done I had to crutch pretty far but the photos turned out amazing and we were able to incorporate the cast in a few. After photos we arrived back at the hall for the reception. Our grand entrance went off perfectly and everybody loved it! For our first dance I rolled up in the scooter and then my mom took it off the dance floor. I danced by swaying and pivoting on my one foot. It worked out pretty good! The song we picked was “I Don’t Dance” by Lee Bryce and there is a repeated verse that goes like, “but here I am Spinning you round and round in circles.” instead of me spinning he spun around me! It was really cute and everyone was clapping then the last verse of that he picked me up and spun me in his arms! It was so magical and perfect. I also got to dance with my father and did the same thing with the pivoting and his song was five minutes long! When the dancing began I wanted to make sure that I got to be on the dance floor since I love to dance. I started off with my crutches and even waved them around in the air to some songs but when I got tired I just road the scooter around on the dance floor it was great! I was shaking it all night! At the end of it all it was my fairytale wedding and everything I dreamed of.

So that is my unique wedding story of how I broke my foot two weeks before my wedding and still had the wedding of my dreams. I know I am not the first bride to have broken something and I know I won’t be the last. But I want other brides to know that if it happens to them don’t let it ruin your day. Don’t let it make you cancel and change your day. Embrace it and make it part of your day. It will be fun to look back one day and share it with your kids and grand kids. I feel that I gained more respect being a trooper and not letting ruin my day. I just rolled with it and still had an amazing time! Our guests keep commenting on how well I did and what an amazing time they had. It was a party to remember! So for any brides who read this and are in the same boat as me just embrace it and have fun with it. It gives you more character in the end! Morale of the story is to always put your best foot forward! Congrats and cheers to all the brides out there!